Moeneak's Eye Brow Routine

HELLO LOVIES

My extended hiatus is over.  Lol.  Life has been crazy, but yet amazing.  I have been living in the moment and soaking up my time with the Mr. :). Today, I have a blog post on my eyebrow routine like you requested MONTHS ago.  I have included pictures of everything I use and of every step that I take. Take a seat....grab a snack.....and ENJOY

1. Sally Hansen hair remover wax strip kit 
I get my eyebrows waxed (in a shop) every 2 months.  I noticed that by the 2 month mark I have enough growth for them to be waxed and still remain very full and thick.  If you haven't noticed.....I LOVE thick eyebrows on me.  When I go to the shop, I get a simple clean up.  No re-arching.  I arch my eyebrows myself with the product listed below in the picture.   

2. These are all of the products that I use on my eyebrows.  LA Pro Concealer in the shade warm honey or almond. (I use whichever one I reach first from my makeup bag).  I use the Nyx Eye Brow pencil in dark brown to fill in my brows.  I use the Elf clear brow and lash mascara to set my brows. (Excuse the nasty brownish color on the clear mascara).  Some random eyebrow brush; as well as, so random eye shadow brush to blend the concealer.  (I fill in my brows before I do my makeup.  There's no right or wrong way. So if you prefer to fill your brows in after your makeup is applied....that's fine.  I used to fill my brows in after I applied my makeup and results were still great.  As always, do what works for). 

3. This is a picture of me....no make up.....no filled in brows.  Just bare.  So excuse the random break outs, dark spots, discoloration etc.

4. I outline the bottom of my brow with my Nyx Eyebrow pencil. 

5. I then outline the top of my brow with my Nyx Eyebrow pencil. 

6. I then use small and short strokes to fill in the remainder of my brow.  Notice how my brows are darker towards the end tail and lighter towards the center.  It's important to use this technique so that your brows look as natural as possible.  Towards the center I hardly applied any brow pencil.  Also, notice that I don't "square" the brows towards the center.  You also don't want to do that for the same reasons as above.  I then use my eyebrow brush to brush my eyebrows out so that the product is distributed evenly and to remove any harsh lines that were caused when I outlined them in step 4.

7. Next I place my LA Pro concealer on the bottom of my brows ONLY and I blend that out.  The remainder concealer on my brush I then use to blend out on the top of my brows.  I don't place concealer on the top of my brows because on my face it gives a not so natural look and I just don't like how it looks. 

And BAM!!!! That's it. Natural and flawless brows EVERYTIME. I don't recommend using a black eye brow pencil ladies. It doesn't look natural at all! Use a dark brown if you have dark eyebrows. Always go a shade lighter then your brow color and if you need help finding your correct shade....ASK someone. 

After I fill in my brows I continue with the rest of my makeup routine. (You will see that in a later blog). 

I hope you found this helpful. 

Xoxoxox Moeneak 

Capture Your Grief Day 2: Intention

Intention is living day to day, even moment to moment, with a sense of choice and purpose.  It means being continuously conscious of how the present moment relates to our values and goals.  Sometimes I find myself thinking that God is breaking my heart.  Satan has been picking and nagging at the things in my life that he knows I long for and desire so much.  Sometimes life gets the best of us.  It draws us in and shows us the things we wish we could have.  

Wondering now what the future holds.  I'm waiting for what's next in my life that God will unfold. What is the purpose for this circumstance today? My life's definitely not how I expected it to be but more and more I see God using my brokenness, pain and struggles far beyond what I see.  I feel like my life is crumbling down and breaking but I know God is using it for something great.  On this day, I have so much to say but yet I can't gather my thoughts enough to express them. Sometimes there are just no words that can accurately express exactly how I am feeling.  

Having these thoughts taught me how to be intentional.  I am intentional with my words,  the things I do,  my image, the things and people that you see me support; as well as, the things and people that you will not see me support.  These things are Moeneak and these are things that I will be remembered for.  Kind of like my own little legacy.  As stated in yesterday's capture your grief....I thrive off of energy.  I'm learning that being intentional with the things that I allow to drain my energy is key in weeding out all forms and traces of negativity from my life.  Leaving no form of assumption for who I am and who I am striving to be in this world.  

So my advice, be intentional with your platform.  Stand firm in your beliefs and your truths.  Surround yourself with positivity and declutter your life from all forms of negativity.  It's okay to think about your best interests from time to time.  Be available for yourself as much as you are available for those around you.  Let it work for you.  I am learning this on a daily basis.  Sometimes I fail.  More often than I would actually like to admit but with every failure.......there is a greater success.

#WhatHealsYou?
#CaptureYourGrief
#IAm1In10
#31DaysOfMindfulSoulHealing
#Moeneak

Capture Your Grief:Day 1

Capture Your Grief Day 1: Sunrise

I hardly ever over sleep. My body is like clock work. It's programmed to know when to wake up and when to rest. Today, my body didn't work like that. I woke up 45 mins after I should have. In a panic because I knew that I would be late for work. Rather then rushing I enjoyed the "getting ready process". Usually, I'm so pressed for time and in such a rush because I am always needed. 

There's never a time when I have time for Moeneak. And Moeneak only. My life requires so much attention and it drains me. Often. I am driven by energy and the more I am around people the more energy they suck out of me. This morning at 3:23 a.m I experienced Moeneak. I looked in the mirror and thought about the person that I missed. And I enjoyed getting to know her. Yet again. 

Things don't always go our way. And that's okay. Live and breathe in the moment. Enjoy every second as if it were your last. I had a selfish moment today. And it was a much needed moment. It's okay for me to think about Moeneak. While there is not a "bright light" in ever moment....there's yet and still a light. 

#WhatHealsYou

#CaptureYourGrief

#IAm1In10

#InHonorOfThoseWomenWhoStruggleWithInfertility

#31DaysOfMindfulHealing

#Moeneak 

Why I decided to big chop AGAIN!!!

Hello LOVIES!!!

I recently chopped all of my hair off.....AGAIN. Several of you have sent me messages and comments asking me about my decision to cut my hair off. And honestly, my reasons aren't all that deep. Lol. It's very simple. 

The last time I straightened my hair....I suffered from severe heat damage. I tried to recover my hair for months. I did protein treatments, I deep conditioned my hair, hot oil treatments etc. Nothing was working. So I started cutting away at the dead hair. Slowly. I always knew that I wanted to cut my hair off again but I wasn't exactly sure when. The delay was finding a short hair style that I wanted. For months I searched for short hairstyles and I finally settled on one that I really liked. 

Throughout this process I received some positive feedback and some negative feedback. Everyone had an opinion about what I should do with my hair. And while I appreciated everyone's opinion, even the ones that I didn't ask for. I knew that I was always going to cut all of my hair off. 

I advocate for healthy hair. Nothing else. Hair length means absolutely NOTHING to me. You can have hair down to your butt and if I see it and it's unhealthy I'm going to wonder what your problem is. Period. Having unhealthy hair that reaches your butt is not pretty. And it makes me wonder what your idea of beauty really means. I am comfortable with short, medium, or long hair.  I worked very hard to be okay with Moeneak. In my flaws, in my bad moments, in my lows. I am okay with the women that I am. So cutting off all of my "long beautiful" hair means nothing to me. My hair is beautiful regardless of its length. It's my hair. It's not like anyone else's. And that alone, makes it beyond unique and beautiful. 

Majority of the time I cut my hair to make a statement. For the younger generation of girls who are struggling to embrace their natural hair. I NEVER want a child to feel beautiful only if they achieve "long beautiful" hair. I want every child to feel beautiful in his/her skin with whatever God blessed them with. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with having long hair or wanting to achieve long hair. With a healthy hair journey, proper exercise, and water intake anyone can achieve long hair. BUT the problem comes in when we as women belittle others and make them feel less because they do not have "long" hair. I read an IG post from a natural blogger that said "Not everyone aspires to have long hair. So let me have what I have and you do you". Such a powerful statement that many won't even understand. If you like long hair then by all means, like long hair. Please, don't impose your thinking on me or anyone else. The day that women can be beautiful in whatever skin we are in is a day that I look forward to seeing.

So when I encourage women to cut their hair I encourage them to embark on a healthy natural hair care journey. And to accept themselves flaws and all. Even when they don't feel their prettiest. I encourage women to take steps that are out of their comfort zone. Which is hard for us all but the reward is very great. I will always encourage women to cut the unhealthy things out of their lives. Whether it be your hair, unhealthy relationships, unhealthy friendships, jobs or anything that isn't helping you to grow and see the value in yourself. We as women are so much more than our hair. And all I want to do is help every women to see that!! 

I can't say that this will be the last time I cut my hair because let's face it....we all know that it won't be. But I will continue to be bold and free. I will continue to break boulders that others have placed on me and in my path. I will continue to accept my beauty even when the world tells me that it's not beautiful. I will continue to be naturally free!!! And I can only pray that you will too!!! 

I love you all sooooo much!!!!! 

Moeneak 😘😘

NATURAL HAIR 101: Hot or Cold Water??

Hello Lovies!!!

I know for me, water temperature was never a thought in my mind when it came to my hair.  In fact, I would hop in the shower and blast the hot water because it felt sooooo good!  BUT after doing my share of research on the effects of hot and cold water on my hair, I now think twice about which way I turn my dial. 

HOT WATER

A pro for using hot water on your hair is it rinses away all of the dirt and oil.  Hot water naturally opens the pores, which is awesome for exfoliating and removing the dirt and oil from your skin and scalp.  If you have an oily scalp, washing your hair with hot water can beneficial.  It allows the dirt and hair products that have built up on your scalp to escape the pores and be rinsed away. 

The con of using hot water on your hair is it may result in overly porous hair.  Hot water opens up the pores and cuticles on your hair shaft.  Which in turn, if you rinse your hair with hot water too often it can leave your hair feeling dry and brittle.  Unfortunately, hot water is a good and bad thing.  Just as much as it can help your hair by cleansing it of all the dirt and oil, it can also strip your hair of its natural oils. 

Another con of using hot water on your hair is that it can cause frizz.  No mater what hair type or porosity of hair that you may have, the hair thrives off of moisture in order to remain frizz free.  Because hot water strips the hair of its natural oil, moisture begins to escape the hair shaft and this results in frizz. 


COLD WATER

Cold water closes the pores and traps the moisture in while preventing dirt from entering and/or building up on the scalp by closing the hair cuticles in order to trap the moisture from the conditioners or oils that have been applied to the hair.  Cold water simply retains the moisture that is beneficial for natural hair.  More moisture usually equals less frizz. 

The pros of using cold water include increasing shine.  Cold water has been known to smooth the hair by closing the scales of your hair cuticle, which in turn prevents frizz and adds luster to your curls. 

So, my recap on how to wash your hair.  Hot water is better for rinsing hair of dirt and buildup, but it dries the strand.  Cold water adds shine, seals in moisture, and prevents frizz.  So the solution:

1. Cleanse, condition, and detangle your hair with WARM water.  NOT HOT WATER.

2. When you are ready to rinse out the conditioner, turn the nozzle to COOL OR COLD and run it over your hair for a final rinse.

If you simply just can not stand using cold water in the shower, try using a shower cap during your warm daily showers.  When it's time to rinse your hair, sit on the tub and rinse your hair beneath the faucet of cold water.  Your hair can still reap the benefits without you having to shiver in the shower. Lol. 

Hope this was helpful!!

XOXO
Moeneak

Natural Hair 101: Water!! Natural Hair's Best Friend

Hello Lovies!!!

I hope that you all are doing well.  Today's blog is going to deal with the importance of water on your natural hair.  Now, I know for years we (African American) people have been taught that water is not good for your hair.  Or too much water is not healthy for your hair.  I can remember growing up my mom would always stress how bad it was to wet my hair multiple times a week.  Now as an adult with natural hair, I realize the importance of applying water on my hair multiple times a week.

Water, is a natural moisturizer.  Just like your body needs water to survive our hair needs water to remain healthy.  We have been trained that water will somehow break our hair off if we apply it to often, but that is not the case.  Even if you decided to wash your hair everyday or apply water to your hair everyday it will not cause your hair to break off or fall out.  You are allowed to cleanse your hair as often as you see fit according to your lifestyle. 

Natural hair thrives off of moisture and water is one of the best ways to quench your natural hair thirst.  Most of us worry about dryness with our curls.  And if this is a concern for you, you may want to consider a few factors such as: is your shampoo stripping your hair of moisture, is your tap water hard, how often are your deep conditioning your hair?  All of these and many more factors can cause dryness in your hair.  Cleansing your scalp and reviving your hair with water is a necessity as a natural. 

I drench my hair in water at least twice a week.  It could be more depending on what style I am trying to achieve but I NEVER neglect to apply water on my hair.  Again, you are the deciding factor when it comes to how often you want to apply water to your hair but make sure that you are giving your hair the moisture that it needs.  Don't be afraid to wet your hair multiple times a week.  Water really is your hairs best friend!

See you in the next blog!! Have a great week!

XOXO
Moeneak

NATURAL HAIR 101: Best Deep Conditioners

Hello Lovies!!

I do hope that you all are doing well on this Fabulous Thursday.  Below I have listed some of my favorite deep conditioners.  Pictures are listed below as well.  Enjoy!!

Obviously there are a ton of other deep conditioners on the market but these are just a few of my go-to products!!

1. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle.  This conditioner provides a super deep conditioning for a seriously  simple fix to dry, damaged hair.  It gives dry hair much-needed moisture so you'll have silky and manageable hair. 

2. Shea Moisture- Raw Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque.  This conditioner repairs dry, damaged or over-processed hair.  An all-natural intensive treatment perfect for transitioning chemically treated hair to healthy natural hair. 

3. ORS Hair Mayonnaise.  This is an intensive conditioning treatment that moisturizes and strengthens damaged and over-processed hair from within the hair shaft.   

4. Crème of Nature Argan Oil Intensive Conditioning Treatment. This deep conditioner strengthens, revitalizes and gives great shine.  It prevents hair breakage and infuses moisture from the inside out. 

5. Shea Moisture- Yucca and Plantain Anti- Breakage Strengthening Masque. This intensive treatment deeply penetrates to condition and smooth frazzled strands with a nutrient-rich fortifying formula.  It helps to bind split ends and improve the overall appearance of hair. 

Hope this was helpful.  See you in the next blog!!

XOXO,

Moeneak

NATURAL HAIR 101: The truth about my straight hair

Happy Friday Lovies!!!

I wanted to get a blog out today since I made the decision too try to put out 2 blogs a week.  And since my vacation started yesterday and ends Tuesday...I knew I would not be worried about putting one out while I'm spending time with my family .

     First, I know I say this often BUT I absolutely mean it.  THANK YOU ALL SOOOOOO MUCH for the support that you give me.  I can't put into words how much it means to me.  You all have allowed me the opportunity to do something that I love and have grown to develop a passion for and I am soooo thankful.  You lovies absolutely rock!!! MWAH
     Secondly, I want to clear up something.  I have received some friend requests on Instagram and FB from some of you and you all sent me messages about it after I posted a post on my FB about people finding me and I don't know who they are.  My FB and IG pages are my own personal pages.  Where my family and close friends are.  There are certain parts of my life that I would like to keep strictly private and only open to that small population of people.  So please don't take any offense to me denying your friend requests.  It is nothing personal and nothing against you all, I just don't want to cross that line.  With that being said...I have another FB page that is out there where it will be strictly open to you all.  My blogs and YouTube videos (whenever I decide to post another one) will be on that page.  So don't freak out on me.  I am in the process of starting something that you all will be apart of and I will have the links and information to them in the next few weeks  :)

     Now, on to the purpose of today's blog.  As some of you have seen I have been in this experimental phase with my hair lately.  From coloring my hair to straightening my hair.  I have been natural for 5 years now and throughout those 5 years I have colored my hair 3 times and straightened my hair 3 or 4 times.  I get very BORED with my hair so I am ALWAYS doing something with it.  Late last year, I went through a somewhat LOW SPOT with  my natural hair.  I began to really dislike my curls.  I was frustrated and rather fed up with them.  I have a pretty kinky curl pattern.  It's not extremely kinky but it's more kinky than curly and I couldn't figure out a way to manage it.  So I rocked a ton on puffs and buns and towards the end of the year I started experimenting with wash and go's and twist outs.  And while I liked the look of them I was never really in LOVE with the styles.  So I started to wonder what it would be like if my curls were just a little more lose in patter, or a little more wavy in patter. 
     I was not brave enough to get a texturizer because I didn't want to completely kill my curls and have to start over but I wanted to find a way to loosen them up...just a little.  So I straightened my hair....with low heat and a heat protectant.  I wore my hair straight for about a week or two and I wanted my curls back.  To my surprise..Izzie reverted back with little to no heat damage.  A small part of me was very happy because my curls hadn't been damaged in the process but an even larger part of me hurt.  I wanted looser curls.  So of course, I straightened my hair again...this time with no heat protection on the highest heat setting.  I wore my hair straight this time for a little over 3 weeks......

     Yesterday, I washed my hair and to my surprise....MY CURLS WERE FRIED!!! And I of course, was DEVASTATED.  I deep conditioned my hair ALL DAY LONG yesterday in hopes to revive my hair slightly and bring some form of life back to Izzie BUT nothing happened.  It wasn't until I performed today's wash and go that I realized how big of a mistake that I had made.  There was ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with my curls.  They made me who I am.  They fit my personality oh so well....and I killed them.  All in hopes of trying to have something that was never intended for me to have.  I was never supposed to have a loose and wavy curl pattern.  My kinks and curls make up who Moeneak really is.  I ended up cutting off the front of my hair because I was so frustrated with how my ends look and now I have bangs.  What the heck was I thinking on that one?!?!?! 

     Needless to say, my lesson has been learned.  I am more in love with Izzie than I was before this crazy phase and I now see the beauty of my curls.  No, my hair doesn't define me, but my curls are who I am.  They speak for me when I have no words to say.  Izzie is Moeneak....and Moeneak is Izzie. 

     I say all of that to say....ladies and (gents) the grass is NOT always greener on the other side.  Love yourself and love your curls.  There is NO ONE else out there who can rock them like you can!!!!  I am now in the recovery phase of nursing my curls back to health and I will blog the journey and experience. 

Happy Friday Lovies!!!

Moeneak MWAH

The first picture is of my hair not being straightened for 1 or 2 years.  The next picture is my hair after the first straight hair incident and them reverting back.  The last picture is of my curls today.  As in 4/16/15 today.  And while many of you might not see the difference I do.  It's DRASTIC!

NATURAL HAIR 101: Easy Tips for Going Natural

Happy Monday Lovies!!!

Lets Talk!! Here are a few important tips that will help you when you begin your natural hair journey.  I'm sure there are a ton more BUT these are just a few that I found to be very helpful for me.

1. RESEARCH! RESEARCH! RESEARCH!
When you decide to go natural you want to make sure that you are as prepared as you can be to start styling and properly caring for your curls.  There's no way that you will know every little detail before you are ready to embark on this journey because there is ALWAYS something that you can learn about your curls, but it will be much easier to knock out hours worth of stress and hassle by knowing exactly what you are getting yourself into before hand.  If nothing else, at least learn the basics.

2. DON'T GO INTO THIS JOURNEY WITH UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
Meaning divorce the crazy thoughts that we ALWAYS hear concerning "good hair" and "bad hair".  There is no such thing as a right or a wrong kind of hair.  If you go into this wanting long corkscrews and your curls are of a kinkier texture you are going to be highly disappointed.  Hair texture is as different as a persons fingerprint.  Allow yourself to be free and comfortable with your OWN hair.  Allow your hair to do what it wants to do and embrace whatever it does.  Everyone's curls are different so expect and look forward to learning about your own curls so that you will eventually learn to love them.

3. DON'T STRESS OVER YOUR HAIR TYPE
Prime Example: Natural Hair Problem #74
"What's your hair type?" Well, I have 4C at the top, 3 B in the back, 2A in the upper left corner, and some type that hasn't been invented yet on the other side.  I'm sure we have all seen or heard something similar to this example before.  Hair typing is a great tool to use when you are watching YouTube videos in order to get ideas on styles or products that may work on hair similar to yours.  BUT it is not the deciding and key factor.  Lots of things determine and impact the way that your hair behaves, such as your hair porosity and protein sensitivity etc.  You can't assume that everything that is marketed towards your hair type will be guaranteed to work on your curls.  Also, if you use the hair typing system and you notice that you have more than one hair type in your head....don't get overwhelmed.  It is completely normal and most of us naturals have that.

4. REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF HEAT YOU USE
I am not going too tell you not to use any heat at all, but it is very important that you use as less heat as possible.  Too much heat on your curls can result in heat damage and that will eventually damage your curls.  Instead of using heat opt for a protective style such as twist outs, braid outs, sew-ins or any other low manipulation styles. 

5. MOISTURE-IT IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
In order fro natural hair to remain healthy it requires a ton of moisture.  Deep condition your hair weekly if at all possible, seal your ends of your hair, and use a satin scarf or a satin pillowcase to protect your curls while you sleep.

6. DETANGLE YOUR HAIR-BUT BE CAREFUL
NEVER detangle your hair while it is dry.  This is a disaster in the making.  Detangle your hair when it is dripping wet and with a good conditioner that offers a lot of slip.  Start at the ends and work your way to the root.

7. JUST DO IT
If you decide to transition you will come to a point that we all like to call the awkward stage.  This is when half of your hair is natural and the other half is still relaxed.  Don't prolong the inevitable for the sake of keeping a few more inches of dead and unhealthy hair.  Cut them off.

8. HANG IN THERE!!! IT DOES GET EASIER
At some point in your journey you are going too want to throw in the towel.  Transitioning to anything new can be difficult and scary, and you will certainly go through some rough patches as your hair becomes what it naturally is.  Accept it, and be prepared for it.  Commit to a healthy hair journey in spite of.  It is possible!

9. AND IF YOU DO SLIP UP......REMEMBER THAT IT IS JUST HAIR

10. LOVE THE CURLS THAT GOD BLESSED WITH YOU!!!!!!!! PERIOD!!!!

I love you all,

Moeneak

Little things.....

I think it's safe to say that I am on a roller coaster ride. It's full of ups, downs, twists, and turns. Nevertheless, I am grateful. 😊 Sometimes it is so easy to concentrate on all of the negativity and it's easy to forget the positive things that are happening. 

For me, writing has always been my outlet. My way of escape. My place to freely express my thoughts and feelings without being judged. I write when I'm in a dark place. Not so much because of unhappiness, loneliness or anything like that, but more so when I have no other place for the thoughts that clutter my mind. When I'm in my happy place I hardly ever pick up my pen, because I'm all about being happy and living in the moment. 

Today, I just want to take some time and express my gratitude towards those small things we so often take for granted. I often look to my past and see how God has provided and the ways he has worked things out for me in my life. I smile and I rejoice now, but lord knows the road traveled was not easy. Being thankful is simply showing appreciation for what one currently has. Even the smallest of things can mean so much. 

At some point of your day, make sure you stop....take a deep breathe....and be thankful for the things that you do have. Rather than upset about the things that you don't have. 

It's okay for me to move my cheese! The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new cheese! 

❤️Moeneak 

Natural Hair 101: Most annoying questions/comments concering Izzie.

Hello Lovies!!!

Today I thought that it would just be fun for us to have some interactions with each other.  I thought that it would be cool to share some of our MOST ANNOYING NATURAL HAIR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.  I have been natural since 2010, and I think that I have heard them all.  Even after being natural for 5 years I am still at times very dumbfounded with some of these questions and comments.  Below I will share some of my most annoying hair questions and comments.  Now, these are not in any particular order although, the very first one burns my bones the most......and I believe we all know what it is:


1. CAN I TOUCH IT??
     In most cases,  no.  No, you can not touch my hair.  If I know you and you ask my response may vary, but please don't just go in for the kill and stick your hands in my hair.  Thank you for understanding. 

2. IS THAT ALL YOUR HAIR??
     9 times out of 10, yes.  I am wearing my own hair out.  There are cases when I throw on a wig or some clip ins.  It doesn't happen often, but at some point in time it will. 

3. HOW DO YOU GET YOUR HAIR TO BE CURLY LIKE THAT?? YOU MUST BE MIXED.
     Is this seriously a real question that you all ask other people outside of me?  I mean really.  Most times I am not sure if I am being punked by Ashton Kutcher or if people really think this is a question that must be answered.  Since I get it so much, I will answer it.  I get my hair curly by not relaxing it or altering the state in which Izzie grows out of my scalp.  Seems rather simple huh?  Well, that's because it is simple. 

4. ARE YOU REALLY NATURAL??
     Uuummmmmmmm, is there anything else that I could be?  No, seriously.  Yes, I am really natural.  5 years worth of natural to be exact.

5. WHY DID YOU CUT ALL OF YOUR HAIR OFF??
     Because it is just hair and it grows back. 

6. DO YOU WASH YOUR HAIR??
     With shampoo, no.  But I do co-wash.  Twice a week to be exact.  COME ON GUYS...OF COURSE I wash my hair.

7. I WISH THAT I COULD GO NATURAL BUT I CAN'T.  YOU HAVE "GOOD HAIR" SO IT'S EASIER FOR YOU.
     Now this statement right here really and I do mean really pisses me off.  What in tarnation is "good hair"? Hair is hair guys.  There is no such thing as good hair and bad hair, I beg of you.  PLEASE STOP SAYING THIS!!! It really is just downright stupid.  I tried to think of another word to describe my feelings about it, but I couldn't.  That is one of the dumbest things that I hear people say all of the time concerning not just my natural hair but natural hair in general.  I can already tell, this will certainly be a blog topic.  Lol. 

8.  CAN YOU JUST CUT YOUR HAIR OFF SO I CAN USE IT AS A WEAVE??
     While I am very flattered by your love and admiration of Izzie, no I can not.  I happen to really LOVE Izzie and I don't feel like anyone else can rock her like I can.  Sorry.  But you are more than welcome to go natural and rock your own Izzie!! :)

9. SOOOO, YOU ARE NEVER GETTING A RELAXER AGAIN? LIKE NEVER??
(One word NO).

10. WHY DO YOU WEAR WIGS WHEN YOU HAVE HAIR?
     The same reason that you wear wigs.  Because sometimes Izzie is in a bad mood and not cooperating so she has too go to timeout.  Or simply because I want too. 

11. HOW COME YOU RARELY WEAR YOUR HAIR STRAIGHT?
     This is a question that I get A LOT. And my answer is very complex so I will try to keep this nice and sweet for you all.  I am not your typical stereotype woman.  When my hair is curly I feel like I can conquer the world.  Curly hair (for me) has brought about a confidence that I never even knew existed.  Curly hair Moeneak is who I am.  Straight hair Moeneak is who other people want me to be.  I will have a blog post about this in a few weeks because this question is very frequently asked to me.

12. DO GUYS PREFER YOU TO HAVE NATURAL HAIR OR STRAIGHT HAIR?
     Truthfully, I get WAY more attention and compliments from guys with my hair curly.  Not that I really care because I am in love with my curls so whoever I end up with will have to learn to love them also.  I get compliments with both actually, but most guys say they like curly hair better on me.  The guy that has my attention right now, loves my curly hair.  Although, he enjoys my straight hair too.  I don't think he has a preference but I will be sure to ask him in tonight's conversation and get back with you all when I have an answer.  

13. YOU DON'T GO OUT WITH YOUR HAIR LOOKING LIKE THAT DO YOU?
     Not sure what this question ever refers too, but I'll just say yes.  Yes, I do go out with my hair looking like that.  Whatever that may be.

LOL!!  These are just a few questions and statements that I receive concerning my natural hair.  What are some questions/comments that you receive concerning your natural hair that annoy you?  Leave a comment below or on my FB page and lets talk. 

Love you guys!!!

Mwah,
Moeneak.

Natural Hair 101: How I actually perform my wash-n-go

 

Hello Lovies!!!

Today's blog is going to be a video demonstrating how I actually perform my wash-n-gos.  I have not mastered that whole YouTube editing thing so it's by no means done professionally.  You ladies asked for a demonstration and walk through on wash-n-gos and I have erased this blog about 7 times because writing out all of those steps is sooooooo hard.  So I figured I'd record a little video for you  walking you through the process that I use.

Keep in mind, the process is much longer.  I only did a small section of my hair because I washed and styled my hair this morning  and I am currently getting over a cold so I did not want to re wet my hair and style it from beginning to end.  That would take entirely to long.  The entire washing and styling process for me this morning took about 2 hours. 

So a few things.....I am by no means telling you how to style your hair.  If you found a method that works for you and your curls PLEASE stick to it.  I am simply giving you a demonstration on how I achieve my wash-n-gos.  There is no right or wrong way...just do you boo and do what works for you.  Also, if you are not into big hair.  Do not flip your hair upside down while diffusing.  Flipping your hair upside down creates volume automatically.  So if volume is not your thing do not flip your hair.  The same rules apply for picking your hair.  Do not pick your hair out if you are not into big hair.  Also, on day 1 hair do not go volume or pick crazy.  You want to give your hair room to grow throughout the week.  If you pick your hair on Day 1 and it looks like Day 4 hair, then by the time you actually reach day 4 hair you are just going to end up with a frizzy mess.  I hope this blog and video was helpful to you!!!

Head on over to my Youtube Channel to view the video
http://youtu.be/1EWDl13hLHo


See you in the next blog! Mwah

Moeneak

Natural Hair 101: What Products I Use

Hello Lovies!!!!!!

Happy Friday.  First let me say, thank you so much for your patience.  I had finals, and I am currently sick so it's been a very hectic time since my last blog.  Also, I want to send a special thank you to the beautiful Kenya Patterson (halfietruths) on an AWESOME Curls and Cocktails event that I had the privilege of attending a few weekends ago.  It was so great guys.  I encourage any of you to attend Natural Hair events around your community.  You meet a lot of great people and they offer some really good advice. 

Also, let me put this plug in.  On May 16, 2015 Clarksville will be having its FIRST Natural Hair Epo from 10:00am-4:00pm at Daymar Institute (2691 Trenton Road, Clarksville Tn) which I will be attending so I encourage you all to come out and have a great time with some awesome Naturals!! It is a free event but they are asking that you RSVP and get your tickets early.  I hope to see some of you all there. :)

Many of you have asked me about the products that I use for Izzie so below I will provide that information.  It might get a little long because I am breaking them down into categories (wash, conditioners, deep conditioners, oils, stylers, what I use to tame my edges, and the styling tools that I use).  I also provided the pictures of the products so you have a visual :) I do not use these products together.  I use one or the other.  So lets get started..

Shampoo: I prefer the Apple Cider Vinegar to cleanse my scalp over actual shampoo
1. I use actual shampoo on my hair about 2 times a year. My hair doesn't agree with most shampoos so I don't use them.  When I do use a shampoo I use Organix Hydrating Teatree Mint Shampoo (around $6.00 at your local drug store).  I shampoo ONLY my scalp and I massage it in circular motions.  I do not lather my whole head because as you know, shampoo dries out your hair and I already have dry hair so I have zero time for anything that will dry my hair out even more.  Once I rinse the shampoo out it flows down the rest of my hair and that is how I cleanse the ends of my hair.
2.  The second product that I use is Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar (ranges from $8.00-$16.00).  I use this product on my hair about once a month to cleanse my scalp from the product buildup.  I use 2 parts vinegar and 1 part water to dilute it.  I spray this on my scalp and massage it in circular motions also.  Rinse and I'm all done.  (I do this about 2 times while I am in the shower).

Deep Conditioners: (I deep condition once a week.  Usually on Saturday and I leave the products in my hair over night.  You don't have to deep condition overnight but I am lazy and therefore, they stay in overnight).
1. Shea Moisture Yucca and Baobab Anti-Breakage Masque with Biotin and Bamboo Extract.  Oh my word.  This stuff smells AMAZING!!! It provides great moisture for my hair and hey, Izzie loves it.
2. Trader Joe's Organic Raw Honey (around $5-$8 at Trader Joes).  I put this all over my hair with some oil (usually olive oil) place my shower cap on and I let it sit in my hair over night)
3.  Aussie 3 minute miracle ($2-$4 at your local drug store.  This product is not shown in the picture because I ran out of it and I have not repurchased.  It has great slip, moisturizes  my hair and it allows me to detangle my hair in no time. 

Cowash and Leave In: (I use the same conditioners as a cowash and a leave in.  I co-wash twice a week.)
1. Giovanni Direct Leave In ($5-$8.  I've only seen this product at Target, Vitamin World, Trader Joes and Whole Foods for my Clarksville/Nashville and surrounding viewers).  It has great slip, moisturizes  my hair and it allows me to detangle my hair in no time. 
2. Trader Joe's Nourish Spa Conditioner ($2.99-$3.99 at Trader Joes).  It has great slip, moisturizes  my hair and it allows me to detangle my hair in no time. 
3. Tresemme Naturals ($4-$6 at your local drug store.  This product is not shown in the picture because I ran out of it and I have not repurchased.  This conditioner is a staple product for me.  I've used it for the entire 5 years of my natural hair journey and I LOVE it). It has great slip, moisturizes  my hair and it allows me to detangle my hair in no time.  

Stylers: My stylers of choice are gels
1. Eco Styler Gel ($5 at Sally's Beauty Supply Store). I have tried all of the Eco Styler gels and the one listed below is my favorite and what I use 98% of the time. 
2. Eco Curl'n Styling Coctail (It was on sale for $7 at Sally Beauty Supply store when I bought it.  I don't remember the original price but I believe it is over $10).
3. Organix Hydrate and Defrizz Kukui OIl Curl Cream (it's water based and this is the only cream that I have found that works on my hair).  $5-$8 at your local drug store. 
4. Quidad Heat and Humidity Gel ($25-$40 at Ulta, depending on the size bottle that you buy).  I ONLY use this gel in the summer time because it is freaking expensive and I wash my hair way too much to spend that monthly on a gel.  BUT it is a great gel that keeps my frizz controlled in the summertime and Izzie loves it. 

Oils: I use an oil on my hair every time I wash Izzie.  I use them as a sealer to hold the moisture in my hair.
1. Jamaican Black Castor Oil ($6-$8 at Sally Beauty Supply)  I usually use the coconut oil and lavender scent.  I have no particular reason why other then the fact that I like how they smell.
2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil ($5-$15 depending on the size of the bottle). 
3. Organix Argan Oil of Morocco ($5-$8 at your local drug store). 
4. 100% pure Unrefined Coconut oil ($6-$12 at your local drug store). 

Edge Control
1. Curls Passion Fruit Curl Control Paste ($7-$10 at Sally's Beauty Supply Store, Wal-Mart, Target)
2. Crème of Nature with Argan Oil from Moroocco Perfect Edges ($5-$7 at your local drug store).
3. Pantene Pro V Texturizing Sculpting Wax ($5 and I have only seen this product at Target).

Styling Tools (My diffuser and attachment nozzle came with my blow dryer but they do sell universal attachments)
1. Denman Brush ($15-$25 at Sally's Beauty Supply).  This brush is used when I do wash and gos. 
2. Pick No clue where I purchased this pick from but pick one up.  You need it for volume.  You'll thank me later.  I promise!
3. Diffuser Attachment (circular object).  When I do wash and gos I use a diffuser attachment on the end of my blow dryer to blow dry my hair.  Again, pick one up if you like volume.  You'll thank me later.  I promise!!!!
4. Nozzle (triangle looking piece).  I use this when I want to stretch my hair and create even more volume.  (I am a big hair volume kinda gal if you can't tell)

I know this was long and I am sorry but I wanted to give you the details on what I used.  I hope this was helpful for you all.  Any questions or comments feel free to leave them below or send me an email or message. 

Love you all!!!

Mwah Moeneak

Natural Hair 101: Embrace the Frizz!!!

Hey there Lovies!!!

     This will be a short, sweet, and to the point blog because there really isn't much to say about frizz.  Curls come in all shapes, sizes, and forms, but one thing that every natural has in common is FRIZZ.  For some, frizz is the enemy but for me frizz is my best friend.  Crazy huh?? I'll explain my reasoning a little later on in this blog.

     Let's start off by defining frizz.  Frizz can be defined as a tangle of hair that sits upon your head from time to time.  There are many ways that hair can become "frizzy" but the main reason is simply because of a raised cuticle layer.  Which in turn causes the hair to look dry and frizzy instead of laying flat.   Curly hair appears to be more frizzy than straight hair because of a simple factor called dehydration.  As we all know, curly hair is drier than straight hair so that only makes sense.  How one styles their hair is also a factor to consider if you are experiencing frizz.  Hence, why I spoke on not using towels, shampoos, extra manipulation to the hair etc,. 

     How one views frizz is a major factor.  I myself, love when my hair is frizzy.  I love big hair and volume in my curls.  For me, I can't achieve either without the frizz.  So I purposely manipulate my hair in order to create a healthy amount of frizz by picking and fluffing my hair.  If you are not comfortable with big hair, then I don't suggest that you use the above method.  When styling your hair you will want to style it with your product, air dry, and leave your hair alone.  No flipping your hair upside down, diffusing, picking, or fluffing it.  Keep in mind...the more manipulation you use on your hair the more frizz and volume you will create.  Frizz is not a bad thing ladies....embrace it and make it work for you because you will always deal with it on your natural hair journey.  So why not learn to love it!?!?

XOXO Moeneak 

The picture on the left shows my hair with no manipulation.  There is barely any volume or frizz.  While the picture on the right shows my hair with tons of manipulation to include diffusing, picking my hair with a hair pick, stretching my hair with a concentrated nozzle, and fluffing my hair with my fingers.  The results are very much different when the style process changes but I love both options.  Ladies, again find what works for you and own it!!!! Mwah!!!

Natural Hair 101: Hair Typing

Hello Lovies!!!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!

     I received a lot of questions concerning hair typing so today's topic will be all about HAIR TYPING.  Let me first start off by saying, I do NOT know what my hair type is.  I do NOT believe that identifying your hair type serves any purpose in your natural hair journey.  I do NOT pick my hair products according to my hair type (clearly, because I don't know it). 

     Next, hair typing simply means your hairs special care and styling needs based on its unique curl patters.  According to most of the hair charts, there are three different hair types.  The first is type 2 wavy hair, the second is type 3 curly hair, and the third is type 4 coily hair.  These three hair types can further be broken down into subsections.

      Type 2 wavy hair: 2A wavy swavy, 2B wavy curvy, and 2C wavy whirly.  Type 2 hair includes light to very wavy hair patterns.  The waves and curls in type 2 hair form in the shape of an "S" and typically stick close to the head.  Wavy hair won't bounce up, even when it is layered. 

      Type 3 curly hair: 3A curly twirly, 3B curly spirally, and 3C curly coily.  Type 3 hair includes lightly curly to very curly hair patterns that are well-defined and springly. 

      Type 4 coily hair: 4A coily springy, 4B coily crimpy, and 4C coily ziggly.  Type 4 hair can range from fine and thin to wiry and coarse with lots of strands densely packed together.  Coily hair tends to have fewer cuticle layers than any other hair type, which means that it has less protection from the damage caused by combing, curling, blow-drying and straightening. 

(I'll post a picture of the hair chart at the end of the blog for visualization)

     I myself do not use hair typing for several reasons.  The main reason is because almost every natural has more that one curl patter or type in their head.  I myself, have yet to meet any natural who only has one curl type.  That alone just sounds like it makes for a difficult hair regime.  To find products that work on all those hair types.....WRONG. Nobody has time for that.  And secondly, come June I will be celebrating my 5 year natural hair anniversary and I made it this far without hair typing.  Lol.  I learned what works for my hair simply by knowing my hair's porosity.  (Again, if you are unfamiliar with hair porosity I have a previous blog about it that explains how you can find your hair porosity). 

     Consumers stress hair typing and curl patterns because it is a sure way too get you to purchase their particular product.  If you have identified your hair as a 3C curly coil and a particular product markets their product for silky curly coils.  You are going to more than likely buy their products based off of the curly coily part.  If you have not identified your hair porosity you have just wasted money.  Especially if the type of product is not geared for your hair porosity. 
     For an example,  I have high porosity hair.  Any product regardless of the name that comes in a butter or cream type consistency will NOT work on my hair.  It will only cause build up.  All of the hair products that I use MUST be water based due to my hair porosity.  Since, I know this I no longer waste my money on hair butters and hair creams.  I buy the products that I know will work for my hair according to my hair porosity. 

     So naturals, I stress to you.  PLEASE, learn your hair porosity.  It will save you so much money, heart ache, and pain.  Again, knowing your hair porosity really is the key to your natural hair journey.

As always, thank you and talk to you soon.  Have a WONDERFUL weekend.

MWAH!!!!!!!!
Moeneak

Natural Hair 101: Healthy hair vs. Hair lenght

Hello Lovies,

     How many times have we all made the statement, I can't wait until my hair reaches the length of so and so?  Or I can't wait until my hair reaches a certain length so that I can do this or that to it.  I wish I had hair like whomever.  I know I am guilty of making all of the statements above, and I have heard all of these statements regarding my natural hair.  Ladies, we are so guilty of always wanting something that another women has (but that is a whole different topic of discussion that I am not even going to go into right now) Lol. 

     My main reason for this particular blog post is because I want to encourage all of my natural hair women out there to just sit back, relax, and enjoy your natural hair care journey.  For many of us we debated for months and maybe even years on if we wanted to actually BC (big chop) or transition.  I myself wasn't patient enough so I did the BC.  When I first did the BC I was sooooo not confident in myself.  Ladies, who are natural and did the BC  but also did a BC during our relaxed hair days...I know you all understand what I am speaking about.  Chopping off all of your hair while you are relaxed is totally different then chopping off all of your hair when you are natural.  The getting used to process is something else. Lol.  Once I did the BC I wore wigs, literally for the first year of my hair journey.  Very rarely did I ever let my curls out to be free.  A lot of that had to do with the fact that I did not have a clue on what was going on with my head.  I didn't understand the process and care that I would need to have on my natural hair.  I was so lost, and confused.  During this year I buried my face in Youtube.  THANK GOD FOR THE YOUTUBERS OUT THERE. I started researching natural hair and trying to learn everything I possibly could, because this was now going to be a new life style for me. 

     Once I figured out the basics of being natural (check previous blogs) I realized that this journey wasn't going to be as hard as I originally thought.  I figured out what worked for Izzie and I stuck to just that.  By doing this it taught me the importance of maintaining healthy hair.  Healthy hair is a topic that many of us don't really focus on or care about and I am here to tell you that you need to care.  Healthy hair is what determines how you will be able to maintain your hair growth.  Researches say that we average about a half an inch to an inch of hair growth every month.  Obviously, this is going to be different for every individual.  As for me, I tracked my hair growth for a few months and I found out that I average an inch of hair growth a month.  Average growth rate.  BUT I also practice a very, very, very healthy hair care regimen.  Which includes a healthy diet, exercise, water intake, low manipulation on Izzie etc.  All of these are key factors in the health of your hair; as well as, your ability to retain the hair that you grow per month.

     Often times people ask me why I cut my hair off as much as I do.  And my answer, not boasting or bragging is simply because I practice a healthy hair care lifestyle; therefore, I know that my hair will grow back.  And I know that I am capable of retaining my length once it does.  So I say all of that to say this, ladies focus less on your hair length and more on your hair health.  Your hair is a lot like plants.  If you care for them by providing the correct amount of sun light, feeding them with water, and chopping off the bad weeds and such then you will end up with healthy and lively plants.  The same is to be said about your hair.  How you treat your hair reflects the health of your hair.  Your hair is trained to grow.....but what are you going too do to retain your length once it grows???

I hope this was helpful to you beauties,

XOXOX Moeneak

Natural Hair 101: All about the LOC and LCO Method

Hey Lovies,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! I hope that you all had a wonderful New Years.  

     Now that we have discussed hair porosity I figured we would discuss the next steps in your journey.  I currently practice the Curly Girl Method.  The Curly Girl method is an approach to caring for curly hair that teaches you what to use and what not to use on your curls.  It gives you a breakdown on how to properly wash, condition, dry, and care for your hair.  
     Because this is the method that I use I do not use, shampoo, combs, sulfates, parabens, silicons, alcohols, excessive amounts of heat etc on my hair.  Now, if you use these following products and they work for your hair...by all means please continue to do what works for your hair.  Again, I am just giving you the rundown on how I care for Izzie and for what works for my hair.  I co-wash my hair twice a week.  Typically on Wednesday and Sunday.  The days may vary but whatever the day I will always co-wash my hair twice a week.  Secondly, I deep condition my hair every other week.  Thirdly, I wash my hair with apple cider vinegar once a month to cleanse my scalp (since my hair is prone to product build up) and I also do a protein treatment once a month on my hair.  After I wash my hair I NEVER towel dry my hair.  Using a towel on your curly hair can create frizz and hair breakage.  Two things that most of us dread so I try to avoid this at all costs.  If you must dry your hair I strongly suggest that you use a cotton t-shirt or a microfiber towel.  It helps to reduce frizz; as well as, breakage.  For Izzie, I leave her dripping wet and I instantly begin styling my hair using the LOC Method.

     LOC method simply means using a leave in....an oil....and a creamer (or styler).  In this particular order.  I use a tea tree conditioner from Trader Joes, Giovanni Conditioner, or Tressemme Naturals.  I then seal my hair with castor oil.  This is my oil of choice 99% of the time.  I also sometimes use coconut oil, and olive oil.  Not often, but sometimes.  My styler of choice is eco styler gel.  It provides me with a great hold and it really defines my curls like I want.  Because of my hair porosity, all of the products that I use are water based.  The other Method is the LCO Method which means leave in....conditioner (or styler)....and oil in that order.  Now your method of choice, whether it be LOC or LCO will depend 100% on your hairs porosity.  If you have low porosity hair, the LCO Method will work better for you.  And vice versa, high porosity hair works well with the LOC Method.  After you have applied your stylers you will need to figure out whether you are going to air dry your hair or if you are going to diffuse your hair.  I honestly do both of these methods.  I diffuse my hair when I wash my hair later in the day and don't want too go to sleep with wet hair, and I air dry my hair every Sunday.  I am currently in the process of switching over to completely air drying my hair because although the diffuser compacts the heat and it doesn't come out as fast, it is still damaging to your hair.  

     Lastly, I preserve my curls by using the pineapple method.  The pineapple method is when you pull all of your hair on the top of your head with a hair tie in a very loose ponytail.  I then tie my satin hair bonnet onto my head and hit the sack.  I also sleep on a satin pillow case because I tend to be a bit of a wild sleeper.  Lol.  When I wake up the next morning I apply a small amount of castor oil and I style my hair according to how I feel that day.  

     Now that we have figured out our hair porosity and our method of style we are well on our way to healthy hair.  Thanks so much lovies. 

Have a great day!!!
XOXO Moeneak